Hi All/Lars

LLars, yyou menined hhaving  seen bees gathering wax from an old
excluder, but not from inside a hive.

You als asked about myy comment that the bees use thhe second hand
wax in cappings.

I have observed bees gathering warm wax - it has to be quite chewable
and they will gathher it - hence combs left in the sun will be chewed
and dispoosed of. Combs inside a hive wont always as theyy don't get
warm enough to be chewed.

In areas where plant resins are in short supply (such as in the
mountains of Lesotho) I have  observed bees using mdified wax as a
propolis source. I have some of these bees in my area now and have
observed that they still produce this wax prpoolis, as opposed to the
indigenous capensis  who use plant resins more frequently.

It is quite interesting!!!

Keep well

Garth

Garth Cambray           Camdini Apiaries
15 Park Road
Grahamstown             Apis mellifera capensis
6139 South Africa

Time = Honey